Ramirez turns 30 years old in December. Despite injuries limiting his playing time in 2011 (shoulder surgery) and 2013 (thumb surgery, strained hamstring), he is rated as the second-best hitting shortstop in baseball since 2011, according to FanGraphs. Going by weighted on-base average (wOBA), Ramirez’s .353 mark trails only Troy Tulowitzki (.390).

Ramirez was a big reason why the Dodgers were able to get past the Braves in the 2013 NLDS. In four games, Ramirez had eight hits (six of them for extra bases) in 18 trips to the plate. Unfortunately, he was hit in the ribs by Cardinals starter Joe Kelly in Game 1 of the NLCS, which rendered him ineffective for the rest of the series. However, his post-season performance will be yet one more factor in Ramirez’s favor when negotiating a new contract. Also relevant is the contract shortstop Jhonny Peralta just signed with the Cardinals — $52 million over four years — as Ramirez is considered to be of a higher grade.